Los Angeles is a hustling, bustling city with millions of people and thousands of stores offering a variety of goods ranging from clothing to jewelry to artwork, and the list goes on. Shopping for a gift in Los Angeles, though it may appear easy, is actually a big task. Where to go? Will they have what you need? How’s the traffic? Will the mall be packed with people and long lines? These are the questions us L.A. residents ask ourselves on a regular basis.

To successfully buy gifts in Los Angeles, especially for special occasions (weddings, birthdays, holidays, etc.), one must look outside the box. Driving to the mall or local department store for a generic gift is wrong on many levels, and will ultimately result in a duplicate gift that will be re-gifted in the future, or a massive headache after sitting in traffic and waiting on lines. This is no way to shop for a present and excess stress can, in essence, ruin the entire experience. Not that everyone stressed out, but many do.

To circumvent the hassle of finding gifts for special occasions in Los Angeles, the solution is to shop online — it’s as simple as that. Shopping via the internet is much easier than driving around town looking for the best gift, it reduces one’s carbon footprint and helps preserve the planet, and most importantly buying online allows shoppers to choose the most unique, coolest gifts at the best prices. As we all know, the most competitive prices on practically everything on the planet are found online.

Lastly, in regards to the actual gift itself, think about the amount of people in Los Angeles and the fact that most shop at the same places over and over again. This means that by following the crowd there is a high probability that the gift you select will also be given by someone else. What’s special about receiving three of the same picture frame or 5 coffee mugs? Nothing at all.

I hope this article has been helpful and will aid Los Angeles residents in finding gifts that their friends, family members and co-workers will adore.